Volunteering... with your dog!

Looking for volunteer positions that you can do with your doggie? Here are a few ideas:

1. BC Pets & Friends - Friendly Visiting Team
Some info from their website:
"What We Do
Pets and Friends provides free pet visitation, on an individual or group basis, to long-term care facilities in the Lower Mainland. We screen and train dogs and cats and their people to interact with the disabled, elderly, chronically ill and mentally ill in an institutional setting. Pet visitation helps relieve stress, increase optimism and address the basic human need for companionship (positive interaction, physical affection and acceptance). It also helps residents who have recently lost their independence to make the transition to facility living.

How It Works
Pets and Friends screens and trains volunteer pet-owner teams and then helps them select the facilities they will visit regularly for at least a year. During a typical visit, a volunteer team spends about an hour interacting with residents, who quickly form a heartfelt connection with the companion animal. Conversation flows and spirits are noticeably lifted. We make a point of visiting on a regular schedule to maximize residents’ sense of security and promote a positive outlook. "

2. St John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program

"St. John Ambulance knows, many people can benefit physically and emotionally from regular contact with the unconditional love of a dog.

St. John Ambulance’s Therapy Dog Services takes a volunteer and their dog into hospitals, seniors' residences or nursing homes on a weekly basis. Partnerships have been established in these kinds of settings, where people are often restricted from having pets, to make the Therapy Dog visitation easier and on a regular basis."

3. Become a Foster Home for a Rescued Dog

The small doggie rescue that we work with - Pamela's Dogs - is currently recruiting for loving foster homes for dogs while they wait to meet their forever homes. If you are able to provide patient, gentle care for a dog in need, your foster dog will be provided with all the food & veterinary care required. Several of us at bow wow haus have fostered dogs and have had them anywhere between 3 days to 3 weeks. Personally, we found that the presence of other happy, well-adjusted dogs in our family seemed to ease the stress for our foster dogs. An amazing experience to make a huge impact on a doggie's life.

Do you have any ideas to share on how to involve your doggie in your volunteer work? We'd love to hear your suggestions.